On Thursday I checked in with band director Steve Kuske. Unless the band receives enough donations by next Friday, he said, as many as 15 band members who are facing financial difficulties will not be able to go on the trip.

Some are only $300 away, Kuske said. The estimated trip cost per student is $860.

“You always want to play for as large an audience as possible. This will be the largest audience we’ll ever have,” Kuske said. “We feel humbled by it.”

The band has been fundraising for this trip all year, primarily to transport equipment — a $5,000 job. Problems in the economy slowed that down in the later part of the year and made it more difficult for some students’ families to afford the trip.

The 150-member band, which has won more than 250 awards field and parade marching, is scheduled to play the Washington state song, “Washington My Home,” on the parade route.

Can the students play it in their sleep yet? Nope, says Kuske. They’re too busy practicing for a big Christmas concert next Thursday. Once that’s done, though, they’ll be playing little else, Kuske said.